Holycross (Irish: Mainistir na Croise Noafa) is a village in North Tipperary, Ireland. It is in the barony of Eliogarty. Unusually, the civil parish straddles two counties and the baronies of Eliogarty and of Middle Third (South Tipperary). It is also a parish in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cashel and Emly.
The village developed around the Cistercian abbey on the River Suir. Its population was 700 at the 2006 census.[1]
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Holy Cross was founded in 1180 by King Donal Mor O'Brien and was renovated and added to during the 15th century. It became a place of pilgrimage when a relic of the true cross was presented to the Cistercians Monks. The monastery was suppressed by King Henry VIII during the 16th century. The Abbey was abandoned circa 1650, fell into ruin. The late Dr. Thomas Morris, Archbishop of Cashel and Emly, inspired the reconstruction of the Abbey which was opened in 1975. The church of this Cistercian Abbey was re-roofed and restored to its former glory as one of the finest Irish 15th-century churches. The foundation in 1169 was originally by the Benedictine order.
| “ | After an absence of centuries a relic of the true cross returned to Holycross Abbey in 1975 when this fine Cistercian Abbey, on the instigation of the late archbishop of Cashel Dr. Thomas Morris was restored and opened its doors once again to thousands of pilgrims and visitors from all over the world. The newly developed Padre Pio meditation garden on the west bank of the River Suir has a special pilgrimage day each May. | ” |
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Putting the barony in its historico-geographical context.
Explanation for the use of "North Tipperary" instead of "County Tipperary".